Many people raise and keep birds. They do this for recreation and in the pursuit of business. The birds must be kept in a cage. Otherwise, they would fly away. The cage must be equipped with a container for providing water for the birds. The container can be equipped, or used alternatively, to provide food for the birds. Such birdcage containers are also used by birds for nesting, bathing, eating and playing. Often the term container is referred to as a cup feeder, a bird cup feeder, a dish, a watering dish, a cup shaped dish, and the like by bird lovers.
A well-known problem exists with containers secured within birdcages. Birds attempt to move the containers in every possible direction. Some birds are quite large and can exert significant forces upon a container. If a birdcage container is not properly secured it easily comes off and falls to the cage floor when a bird strikes it. As a result, water and food are wasted and contaminate the cage floor. This requires a cleanup of the cage floor and resupplying of the container.
One solution is to firmly affix the container to a wall of the cage. While this may prevent a bird from upsetting the container, an additional problem is created. That container cannot be quickly removed and replaced. Food and water containers within birdcages need to be quickly removed and replaced. The container must be removed from the cage repeatedly for cleaning and replacement of food and water. Unfortunately, when the cage door is opened the bird within the cage often attempts to escape. Some birds attempt to attack their human handler when the cage door is opened and the handler inserts his or her hand into the cage. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the time that the cage door is open while the container is attended to.
What is needed is a cage which incorporates an easily and quickly removable container. When in place with the cage door closed that container should not be able to be displaced by the bird within the cage.
The removable cup feeder assembly and the improved cage having a removable cup feeder described herein are primarily intended for use with birds. However, they may also be used with cages containing animals.